


grounded

by cinematicghibli



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Study, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Panic Attacks, ooc oikawa bc i project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:07:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29488020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinematicghibli/pseuds/cinematicghibli
Summary: ‘You’re such a handful’ he felt Iwaizumi mumble against his neck, holding him firm, grounding him again.[a 1am drabble about how things can get a little overwhelming sometimes, but Iwaizumi is the perfect fix]
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru
Kudos: 57





	grounded

**Author's Note:**

> this is the first fic I have written in 6 years!! what the fawk  
> writing angsty oikawa is entirely self indulging and i will not b apologising for it

Squatting in the dirt, he stared aimlessly down into the long grass, eyes following a bright blue beetle moving slowly across the ground. 

It was quiet out here in the dark, the harsh noise and fluorescent lights from the gym hall seemingly years away. Tooru felt transported, fixed in position, barely moving as he squatted low to the ground and fought hard against breathing too harshly.

They were going to notice he was missing soon, it had been almost ten minutes now since he had slipped out of the doorway into the quiet night in lieu of ‘going to the bathroom, and I’ll be back super soon with my expert advice iwa-chan so don’t miss me too much~ ’. 

Ten minutes into watching a videotape of Karasuno’s last match, ten minutes of analysis, ten minutes of watching Kageyama in sheer horror. 

They would never notice he was missing. No one was going to come looking for him, because he wasn’t able to set like that, would  _ never  _ be able to set like that, so what was the point of it all? What was the point of chasing something so desperately, yearning so violently, to be met with an insurmountable wall like that? What was the point of trying to show the world something new and incredible, when it was already being done by someone two years his junior?

Fingers pushed into the soft mud, grit pushing up into his nails, the beetle had gone now, and the air was starting to feel cold rather than refreshing. He unclenched his jaw and sat back on his heels, thinking about the best way to re-enter the gym (everyone was going to notice he was gone) and the best way to laugh off his own disappearance (not that anyone cared anyway).

‘You still look exactly the same as when we were kids, shittykawa.’

Of course. Of course he was here.

He raised his head but didn’t look around. ‘I’m much more handsome now Iwa-chan.’

‘Find anything interesting down there? Or are you just playing in the mud for nostalgia?’

He smiled crookedly, still turned away down into the dirt and put on his best, most chirpy voice. 

‘I just dropped something! Just looking to see if I can find it, I’ll be back inside soon to show you all exactly how to analyse a match.’

The silence that followed this made Tooru feel like he was finally sinking into the mud to disappear forever. Iwaizumi could tell he was lying, and definitely thought he was weak for leaving, too weak to set for the team, too weak to-

‘What did you lose?’

He stiffened, too afraid to turn around, frozen in place in the mud. He heard himself speak without meaning to.

‘I don’t know.’

He felt his breathing starting to spiral, clenched his fists, and felt Iwaizumi’s presence before he heard him move any closer. Rough fingers digging into his hair, gently manoeuvring his head up and back away from the dirt. Tooru was staring out into the dark stretch of sky, stars scattered across an endless expanse above them.

‘You’re looking in the wrong place anyway dumbass. You won’t see anything if you stay fixed like that.’

And fuck, that was all it took. 

‘You-‘

Face soaked with tears, eyes squeezing shut again as he tilted forward, fists clenching tight together, and there were warm, calloused hands wrapping around his own, warmth surrounding him as he opened his eyes up again, clear of tears, staring up at the stars.

‘You’re such a handful’ he felt Iwaizumi mumble against his neck, holding him firm, grounding him again.

The stars looked so much brighter now. 

‘Be careful iwa-chan, I heard that aliens only abduct mean ugly people. You better watch out.’

‘Yeah.’

‘You better not get abducted.’

‘Yeah.’

‘I won’t let you get abducted.’

‘I know’.

Tooru felt his breathing slow, unclenched his fists, and leaned back against a warm support. He felt Iwaizumi’s thumbs slowly trace circles against his hands, so tentative, so gentle. 

‘I found a bug.’

‘What colour?’

‘Blue.’

‘Hm.’

Background noise began to filter softly into the silence, gym doors opening in the far distance, people spilling out into the quiet night, chattering noisily.

‘They’re looking for their captain.'

They were looking for him.

‘They can look a little longer. I’m sure they’re wondering where the team’s star ace has wandered off to, Iwa-chan.’

He felt the hands against his own tremble slightly as he heard Iwaizumi breathe out shakily, ‘I was looking for my setter.’

It didn’t feel cold outside anymore. 

He laughed softly and began to turn his head, teasing ‘so cute Iwa-chan! You missed me that much?’

The ground felt comfortable as Tooru lost balance and fell back, laughing as Iwaizumi huffed and stood up, tugging him back upright towards the sky with a hand rooted in the back of his t-shirt. 

He turned away quickly, heading back towards the source of the noise in the gym, grumbling ‘shut up shittykawa’, trudging away with his hands rooted in his pockets. 

Tooru followed, watching Iwaizumi’s ears burn redder and redder, smiling again as they approached their teammates inside the bright, noisy gym hall.

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading mwah mwah hmu on twt @_kurap1ka_


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